Study: Alzheimer's May Be Caused By Third Type Of Diabetes

February 3, 2009 7:24 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (AHN) - Insulin drugs used to treat people with diabetes may also be helpful in shielding memory-forming nerve connections from Alzheimer's disease proteins, according to a new study from Northwestern University.

The study's researchers say that since insulin may be used to slow or prevent Alzheimer's-related memory loss, and that the disease may be caused by a third type of diabetes.

People with type 2 diabetes either don't produce enough insulin, or their bodies don't use it properly. Now researchers say a "type 3" diabetes may exist. Lack of insulin can lead to brain cell loss, and dead brain cells in the hippocampus part of the brain can cause memory loss, according to the study.

"Recognizing that Alzheimer's disease is a brain diabetes points the way to novel discoveries that may finally result in disease-modifying treatments for this devastating disease," Sergio T. Ferreira, a member of the research team, said in a statement.

The study was published in Monday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.